


How to Find a Bloke at Holiday Parties

by bearshorty



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: AU, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-18
Updated: 2015-12-18
Packaged: 2018-05-07 08:31:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5450126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bearshorty/pseuds/bearshorty
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sirius really should have gotten Remus’ last name during Lily’s holiday party or some way to contact him. They were just too busy making out to get to all the important details. But Sirius is not one to give up. He will find the mysterious gorgeous stranger, maybe in time for another party. AU where Remus never went to Hogwarts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	How to Find a Bloke at Holiday Parties

“My name is Sirius, by the way.”

Sirius really didn’t want to stop kissing but he felt like he should at least introduce himself. He honestly didn’t plan to find himself squashed in the hallway closet of Lily’s new flat with a stranger he had just met, making out like there was no tomorrow. Especially, as the said stranger came to the Christmas party with a very attractive girl and looked a bit shy too, with his sandy hair over his eyes, and a crooked little smile. 

But here he was. In the tiny closet, along all the coats, currently trying to trace all the freckles he could barely see in the dark, and to do the best job possible in losing all the space between them. Sirius put all blame on the dashing scar across the stranger’s cheek. 

He dived right back into kissing, having now introduced himself sufficiently, and was a bit miffed when the stranger pulled back a little and didn’t resume making out immediately. 

“Right. I’m Remus. Nice to meet you.”

“Polite one, aren’t you? I think that’s enough of that.”

And Sirius found those delicious lips again. Remus...that was an interesting name...gave a bit of a squeak and to Sirius’ delight resumed kissing very enthusiastically. This holiday party was turning out a lot of fun. 

When James and Lily had proposed it, Sirius was very reluctant. It was their first Christmas out of school and he wanted to do something grand. But Lily loved her new flat and wanted to show off a bit and James didn’t want to rock the boat. He was finally going to move in after the New Year. So Sirius was dragged not only into attending, being forced to mingle not just with old schoolmates but also with new coworkers and god knows who else, but also he had to help set up. And fetch the ice and butterbeer. And put up holiday decorations. One would think he learned magic to decorate and be domestic instead of to fight the forces of evil.

Yet right now Sirius was very glad for this holiday party because he got to drink a bit and he met this gorgeous bloke who was obviously a wizard but, unfortunately for Sirius, did not attend Hogwarts. If he would have gone to Hogwarts, there would have been a lot more kissing; Sirius was sure of it. Maybe Sirius would get his back story later. Right now he was just enjoying their silent conversation.

**************

“You really don’t know him?” Sirius asked Lily for the fifth time. “Remus. Tall. Sandy hair. Talked to you about healing spells? Came with that blond bird and had that old fashioned jacket on?”

“I don’t know who he is, Sirius. I told you,” Lily said with exasperation. She was busy waving her wand in a fairly complicated pattern to clean up all the bottles. She made Sirius, James and Peter clean up all the plates and other debris by hand. “I never met him before. And I think that girl is a friend of someone else who came last night. I don’t know her either. You should have gotten his number then. Stop asking!”

“I would have gotten his number! Or last name! But I left to get us a drink and he disappeared. I mean, I forgot to tell him I was going to get him a drink too. I was a bit distracted. But I thought he would wait.”

“Sorry, mate,” Peter said sympathetically as he was scrubbing something gross looking from the carpet.

“Maybe he went to Beauxbatons? He looked our age. You can try asking Jacques,” said James helpfully. At Sirius’ puzzled look, James elaborated, “You know, one of the Auror trainees. You met him! Don’t look at me like that. He came to the pub with us the other night. Brown hair. French!”

“Sorry. Can’t recall. But can you ask for me? I really want to find Remus again.”

James nodded but didn’t look too thrilled at the prospect.

Sirius was biting his lip. “Lily, can you tell me the names of everyone you did invite? I will make a list and ask them. And then any friends they brought. Someone must know him.”

“You will do no such thing, Sirius Black!” said Lily. “You would have no finesse. And I would like to keep my new friends too.” She waved her wand some more and several lamps reassembled and stood in their original places.

“But Lily…” Sirius began but Lily interrupted him.

“I will ask around and James will too. But if we can’t find him, you need to promise to stop obsessing.”

“Fine. Oh, we can just throw another party, maybe he will show again. I’ll even help set up.”

“You just want more firewhiskey,” said James.

“No parties for a while,” said Lily as she willed feathers back into the sofa pillows. “But we will try to find him.”

*********************

Sirius took a deep breath. The Muggle bookstore looked pretty ordinary. Not that different from any other bookstore. Not that Sirius had much experience with Muggle shops. Sirius checked the address again on the parchment and moved toward the door. 

It was New Year’s Eve and the store would close soon, but he hoped he could find Remus inside or at least his friend, who could point him in the right direction. After a week and a half of searching, he wasn’t about to give up.

As Sirius entered the door, a little bell rang and a familiar slightly raspy voice called out, “We’ll be closing soon.”

Sirius smiled broadly. His search was over. He was going to get Peter an extra pint next time for pointing him in the right direction.

“I’m not here to shop. I found what I’ve been looking for,” Sirius said loudly, peering at the back of the stacks where the voice had come from.

He heard a few books fall on the floor. After a half a minute that felt like forever, Remus’ head peaked out from the back. He wore a slightly shocked expression on his face, which he composed quickly.

“Sirius. Hi...um, what are you doing here? How did you…” Remus stopped talking. He did move closer and stopped just a few feet away. He was even cuter than Sirius remembered. Remus was wiping his hands on his black jeans and biting his lip a bit.

Sirius grinned even wider. “I had to ask quite a few people to find you. It really would have been easier if you just gave me your full name at the party. I would have just used the Floo or an owl.”

“I thought...well, I didn’t think you would have wanted to meet again.” Remus was blushing a bit now.

“I just went to get us a drink, I swear. I wasn’t skipping out. I would really like to take you out.” Sirius suddenly blushed himself as it just occurred to him that maybe Remus left for a reason and wasn’t really interested in a longer acquaintance. “That is if you want to. I’m sorry. I assumed. I should probably go.” 

Sirius turned, eager to get away now. He should probably drown his sorrows.

A hand on this arm stopped him. 

“No, wait. You can assume. I mean, I would love to get a drink or something. I just thought that it was just a party and you probably do that all the time.” Remus spoke a bit fast. He did look nervous too.

“What, make out with gorgeous blokes in closets?” Sirius regained his equilibrium and smiled again. “I don’t really. First time for me. Making out in closets, I mean. I don’t make a habit of it.”

“Me neither. I did get flustered. I’m sorry I left, then.”

“Well, we’re here now. And your shift is going to be over soon, right? We can get a nice and proper New Year drink, if you like.” Sirius brightened at the prospect of a fun New Years. James and Lily had their own plans and Peter was with his family, so it was going to be a bit lonely. But not anymore.

Remus, however, appeared to hesitate.

Sirius took a breath and said, “You probably have plans, though. We can do it another time. Just give me your last name, so I could Floo or write”

“Lupin. My name is Remus Lupin.”

“Great. I’m Sirius Black by the way.”

“Nice to officially meet you.” And Remus held out his hand. Sirius laughed and shook Remus’s hand. It was callused and rough but really warm. 

Remus smiled and added, “I do have plans but you can come with me if you like. My grandmother, she’s a Muggle, she’s throwing her traditional New Year’s party. It’s a big deal for her and I can’t really miss it. But you can come if you wanted. It will be a bit crowded.”

“Another holiday party! Sounds like fun. I liked the last one!”

“Good. I just have to lock up and then I can Apparate us there.”

“Sure thing. How did you end up with a New Year’s Eve shift anyway? It’s not like anyone is really going to shop? And I thought your friend from the party, that girl you came in, was going to be here. I mean, I’m glad it’s you I found.” 

“She’s a friend, nothing more. Her Muggle uncle owns this shop. She felt a bit sorry for me when she invited me to tag along. But I’m glad I went.” Remus smiled. He was moving around, closing up the register and putting away a few papers. “And she was going to work tonight but she covered for me a few weeks ago, on the fourteenth, so I owed her a favour. I don’t mind. And the owner likes to keep the store open.” 

Sirius nodded, relieved to hear that he had no competition and that he was jealous for nothing.

After five minutes, Remus was ready to go.

As Remus put his arms around Sirius for Side Apparition in a hold, which both knew was not really necessary, Sirius thought that he should buy Peter a box of chocolates too.

*************

“What kind of New Year’s Eve party is this? Is this a Muggle thing? I never really been to a Muggle party before.”

Sirius was looking at the sitting room in wonder. He was expecting something a bit more casual. Mainly a few people hanging around, some drinking and talking. Sort of like Lily’s party. He was looking forward to sneaking away with Remus again.

But the room was taken up by a big table crammed with food. Lots and lots of food. And lots of drinks too. The adults were mainly sitting around the table, talking loudly, joking and drinking. Some were singing along to festive sounding music in some foreign language. All of them were dressed up in very fancy clothes. Sirius felt under dressed in his leather jacket.

But it were the kids who surprised Sirius. There were maybe a dozen of them, all dressed up in various costumes. One kid, in a fairly realistic cat costume, kept chasing a few others, while his tail swooshed behind him. Another girl was wearing a crown and a black and white checkered cape.

There was a large Christmas tree in the corner full of baubles and lights and tinsel. There were what looked like paper garlands strung everywhere and paper snowflakes on the windows. This was unlike any New Year’s Eve party Sirius has ever been to.

“It’s my grandmother mostly. I don’t think many Muggles around here go all out for New Year’s,” said Remus.

Sirius turned toward him and did a double take. Sometime in the last five minutes as they came inside the house, Remus got himself a mask that covered his eyes and top of his head. The mask’s wolf ears were pretty realistic.

As Sirius raised his eyebrows, Remus hurried to explain, grinning, “My grandmother is Russian. She came here as a teenager and she always wanted to keep her holiday traditions. New Year’s is a very big holiday for her. Probably the most important one. So lots of friends and relatives come over. They will stay until after midnight. They are sending off the old year now with all the food.” 

“Aha. And the costumes?”

“Only kids wear those. Hey, I’m eighteen. I’m not that old to stop. I still want presents. So, instead of St. Nick, there is Ded Moroz or Grandpa Frost and his granddaughter Snegurochka or Snow Girl. Ded Moroz comes on the night of the New Year and leaves presents for the kids under the New Year tree to open on New Year’s Day. But my Dad will dress up as him and come soon to have a party with the kids. Give them candy in little decorated boxes. You have to be in costume for that and I like chocolate.”

“I can be a rebel then as my costume and get some candy too.” Sirius was warming up to the idea, despite being a bit nervous in meeting so many of Remus’ family all at once. 

“I can get you a mask, if you like. I have an old one. It’s a dog.”

“Sure. That can be fun. I can be a rebellious dog.” Sirius grinned.

“C’mon. I want to introduce you to my grandmother. She’ll like you.”

Remus took Sirius’ hand and was trying to tug him forward. But Sirius held him back.

“Wait. I have a question. Is there still a tradition of giving a kiss at midnight?”

“Not exactly. You make a wish as the clock strikes twelve and drink champagne.”

“Oh.”

“But there can be a kiss too. It’s not that unusual. And no one here would mind,” Remus rushed to add.

“Good to hear. Do they know you are a werewolf too?” 

Remus let go of Sirius’ hand and took a step back. Fear crossed his face. “What?” 

Sirius reached over and took his hand again. Remus looked very tense. “I don’t mind. I think it’s wicked. I mean I figured since Jacques said he didn’t know you from Beauxbatons and you didn’t go to Hogwarts despite being a wizard, and you have all those scars. And I know the full moon was on the fourteenth because James and I were trying to make this illegal potion. And your mask sort of made it click in my head. I’m just not sure if your Muggle relatives know.”

Remus relaxed a little but still looked a little weary. Then he took a deep breath.

“I can deny it but I don’t want to lie to you. That would not be a good start. They don’t know, they just think I’m ill a lot. I can’t believe you figured it out so quickly and that you not running away.”

“I told you. I think it’s pretty great actually. If my Mother knew she would have a fit. I love it.”

“I’m not sure what to say.”

“Well, you can introduce me to your grandmother, we can have some food and then sneak away for a while. I didn’t realize I was making out with a werewolf last time. It would be even more fun now.”

Remus looked a bit overwhelmed. He squeezed Sirius’ hand. “I’m really glad you tracked me down, Sirius Black.”

Sirius leaned in for a brief kiss. “I think your Ded Moroz already left me a present. Can’t wait to unwrap it.”

Remus laughed.

**Author's Note:**

> Title inspired by a Neil Gaiman short story.


End file.
